The Queen of Sheba and King Solomon were known for their great wealth in ancient times. Consider the following excerpt from the story. Why does the author contrast the wealth and pride of these two couples? Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see [the king] pluck at his beard from envy.
a) To illustrate that the poor couple's pride, though they're poor, is equal to the pride of the royal couple, with all of their riches

b) To draw a contrast between the lives of the couples and how the young couple arrived at their current situations

c) To emphasize that the royal couple were wealthy, but they were also greedy, unlike the Youngs, who are generous

d) To insert a humorous side story, designed to lift the reader's spirits momentarily while reading about the Youngs’ situation of poverty